Where do you want to live?
A wise man once said, “There ain’t no point in movin’ on ‘till you got somewhere to go.” Well, we kinda put that theory to the test. We moved on, but have some serious questions on where to go.
We are homeless, nomadic, and starting our search for a new place to call home. That brings up questions that we are almost embarrassed to ask – let alone qualified to answer – simply because we are fortunate for even being in the odd position to ask them.
Where do we want to live? What type of dwelling? Own or rent? Urban or rural? Okay, what country? Region? Does weather matter? How about elevation (we are mountain people, after all)? Are there climate concerns? Are there climate change concerns? How about budgets? Does any of this shit even matter?
When the world is pretty much open to your whims, how the hell do you decide where to be?
Over the past 18 months, we have lived in no less than 12 different places in a few different towns in a few different countries. We’ve lived in cabanas on the beach, townhouses in the suburbs, high rise luxury condos in a big city, and not-so-luxury little apartments in a number of old European towns. Each had its own set of assets and liabilities, and each had a feel that make those assets and liabilities seem almost secondary in importance.
Additionally, since we went all minimalism on this bitch and simplified our lives, certain assets and amenities suddenly are not as essential as I once thought…but that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t still want some of them if I could.
So, what are we looking for?
Our Criteria
- Clean and new-ish or refurbished
- Furnished (for now, then ready for our own stuff once we are ready to buy some again)
- Clothes Washer (dryer would be great, too, but eh)
- Oven (I like making bread…and pizza)
- Terrace or private outdoor space of some kind (this became more important during lockdown)
- Storage enough for bicycles (even if it’s secure hallway)
- Fast internet (deal breaker)
- Air conditioning and heat (if needed)
- Walking distance (maybe within a kilometer) to a train station, a market, cafe, and bar
Put these things in play, add a series of bike trails and a mountain nearby for adventure, put it all on a fast (or at least existing) system of trains that can get us anywhere without needing to buy cars and we have what we’re looking for.
That’s pretty much it. But, as I said before, it’s not all box-checking. There’s something spiritual about it, too.
On Peace and acceptance in the simple things
We could always look for more – more things, more amenities, more assets, a better location – but so many of the things we used to do or need now seem superficial. For example, we have found peace in slowly doing dishes as we no longer have a dishwasher or garbage disposal. I love to slowly make the morning espresso, so a fast, push-button coffee thingy is not necessary. And, we used to engage in every outdoor activity literally under the sun, but now have found love in the simple acts of hiking and cycling. No more need for climbing gear, roller blades, skis, etc. There are many more examples.
Now we come to the actual physical location of such a home. We have been trending toward a more old-world solution to our needs.
You see, travel has ruined America for me
Specifically, things like food and wine culture, coffee, pace of life, etc. are just more to my liking overseas. I like getting a glass of good wine for $3 and a coffee for $1. I like being able to get good, clean, organic produce in season and for cheap, and counting on existing regulations to insure I’m not ingesting weird animal parts or chemicals without me knowing it. And, I love having multiple public transit options.
In America going out for brunch means a $5 coffee, $15 meal of factory-farmed eggs or additive-rich pancakes or something, maybe a mimosa for $15, and all of a sudden I’m into $40 including a tip for a freakin breakfast.
Oh, and BTW, I had to drive 20 minutes to get there to meet my friends who also had to drive there, the 4 of us taking up 4 parking spaces because no one carpools, takes public transit, or – dare I say – walks. More on how America is built to move cars rather than move people later…
We found these types of situations to be important to us. Our sensibilities regarding these events have changed and we now look for more assessable, more local, and less expensive options. And those options are seemingly more readily available to us on another continent. Don’t freak out on me. I love America…but I also love northern Spain, the South of France, the mountains of Austria, or Tuscany, too.
In two successive living situations, we went from a huge condo with a big deck overlooking the ocean, a hot tub, screaming fast fiber internet, parking, every kitchen amenity you could imagine, and a tankless water heater that allowed hot showers for days, to a 230 square foot studio with no oven, no couch, kinda dark, and a water heater than fit under a small sink (showers that weren’t done in 3 minutes became very unpleasant). But it didn’t matter. The location of the little place was just better. We were closer to restaurants, cafes, grocery stores, etc, and we could still walk to the beach. Oh, and it just felt better.
I guess it comes down to this: I’m privileged enough to it have criteria. But, meeting all the criteria does not make life perfect. The right place, be it a dwelling or a physical location, is often a feel more than a place. There has to be a spark. There needs to be an emotion tied to it.
So, channeling my best Carrie Bradshaw: When considering where to live, I cannot help but wonder, Is finding a home like finding a partner? Is choosing a house like choosing a spouse?
I guess, as we continue to move on and seek, we’ll just have to hope we find out.
